<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>You Are What You Eat by Filthr</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26365063">You Are What You Eat</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Filthr/pseuds/Filthr'>Filthr</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood and Gore, Cannibalism, Death, F/M, Light hearted story with a very dark undertone, Murder, Slasher, relationships</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:35:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,885</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26365063</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Filthr/pseuds/Filthr</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Your father had given you your old childhood house in the middle of Fuller, as well as the family bakery. You become good friends with the local outcast family, especially their son who offers you the only meat in town. You had wanted to make meat pies for the town. What could be so bad?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Leatherface | Thomas Brown Hewitt/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>81</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Returning to Town</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You hum along to the chorus of the song blasting from your radio as you drive along the seemingly endless dirt road. Your eyes were squinting now and again to try and see through all the dust your car was kicking up as you made your way down to your Fathers old property. It had been at least a decade since you had seen it; since you'd experienced dirt roads and the sticky feeling of sweat dripping from your forehead in the sweltering Texas sun. You'd moved out of the home a long time ago, eager to leave the backwash town of Fuller and onto something greater as you had once told your father. He'd been supportive in the decision but always said you would come back to the quiet life. Like your privacy too much to be livin' in those tiny places with too many people. You had rolled your eyes naturally, adamant that you would never miss this place once you made it out. But here you were. You were driving along the same dirt road from your childhood, surprisingly eager to be away from the hustle and bustle of city life. He had been right. A small smirk curled on your lips as you thought that. He'd have a field day if you'd ever managed to tell him that. However, a small pang of sadness hit you just as quickly as the thought came. That's the main reason your back. You couldn't tell him. The only reason you could afford to move back out was because of the inheritance and a house already paid into your name. A small sigh left your lips as you tried to focus on the music once more, at this point too exhausted to cry about it anymore. </p><p>It wasn't long until you finally pulled into the old house. A smile bloomed on your face as you took in the sight of the place you once called home. Memories of you running up the steps to the patio in a hurry from school, ready to blurt out your day to your parents. A simple rope and plank swing still hanging from the big sturdy tree that sat outside the front of the house. Remembering how you would read books from dawn till dusk under the cool shade of the tree as you grew older. With a huff of effort, you jumped out of the car, eager to stretch your legs after hours of driving. And with that you began to walk towards the all too familiar house, ready to start your new life. You could only hope you enjoyed it more than your last one.</p><p>Making your way inside you couldn't help but appreciate how cute your home really was. A housewife's dream really. Sky blue the outside, and a mix of light colours painting the interior. Big white windows over the walls, letting in natural light that bounced off the wooden furniture beautifully. You'd been fortunate. Dad had left everything to you. Which you'd appreciated since all you had yourself was a small couch, TV and a washing machine. This would be a much different experience. Humming, you made your way around the house, opening windows to let light and air in. Hoping to remove the musty smell that had built up over time. Once you finished your task, you sat down on the dining room table, taking it all in. You felt lighter already. The sadness of why you now have all of this was still there, but you pushed it away to think of the better opportunities. You could do so much more here—no one to tell you what to do or what to make. A broad grin enveloped your lips as you thought of that. And with that lovely thought, you made your way back to the car. You were initially going to wait before heading to the old business, give yourself time to adjust before setting to work. But the hardworking mentality of a country upbringing wouldn't let you. There was so much to be done, and you were more than a little excited. </p><p>-X-X-</p><p>By the time you got to town it was already in the evening, but you were too eager to take a look at the old bakery and see how much work is needed to start up again. You promised yourself you wouldn't stay long, that you could come back tomorrow and begin the real work. Still, for now, you just wanted to bask in the idea of finally being able to live your dream of having your own bakery. You hoped it would all work out. Hoped the locals remembered how good the bakery once was and feel the need to come to inspect again when word got out it was open once more. It wouldn't take long. Word travelled like wildfire through these parts. And with that, you wondered how long it would take for people to realise there was a new face in town. Not too long, you hoped. You were not always the most social person, but you would still like to make friends and have tea sometimes. Maybe you would even find that once special guy out there. You almost laughed at the thought. How many times your mother had asked about boys in your life. When were you gonna get yourself a man? You ain't gonna be bringing back one of those city boys are ya? You'll need a country boy, someone who can work and take care of you. At one time, it had made you laugh. How were you going to find a country boy in the city? But she had been right in the long run. Them boys had never tickled your fancy much. Always focused on their looks, carrying around combs and swaggering around all the ladies, acting smooth. You saw right through it all.</p><p>None of them would be able to handle a good day's work. Too weak to do some heavy lifting, no matter how much they bragged and too vain to get a bit dirty to accomplish something. You wrinkled your nose. You'd be lying to yourself if you said you hadn't fantasied about a tall, muscled up, hardworking family man taking you for a spin when you were planning your new life out here. Someone that would come along and just sweep you off your feet with one hand and help you around the house and bakery with the other. Another laugh left you; good luck, girlie. How about you make it through setting up and living here before you start fantasying about all that jazz. </p><p>As you were lost in your own thoughts, you checked around the small joint, happy to find big working ovens, a register, walk-in cooler and massive pantry. It had definitely been revamped since the last time you were here which made you happy. A lot less work than what you were expecting. A simple clean down and electricity organising and it would all be good to go. You would be open by the end of the week with any luck. A hum of appreciation left you as you walked back out to your car. Thinking of some recipes, you thought the locals would like. Maybe you should try to catch up with that old meat business. See if you could strike up a deal for some meat pies. And with that you drove home, giddy about what the next few days would bring. </p><p>-X-X-</p><p>You were in the back, kneading some dough for a new apple pie recipe you had been dying to try. After finding an apple tree at the end of your yard growing some beautiful juice fruits, you'd spent some time trying to perfect a recipe. Today you were eager to make it and offer some free samples to see if the locals would like it as well, maybe it could be a signature dish in your cosy little bakery. You'd been here for a few weeks by now, settling in nicely to your new house and property. And even happier with the bakery opening the week prior. You had been quite busy that day, everyone seemed to have noticed the work you'd been doing there. Maybe the few brief conversations you'd had when visiting stores had managed to get the word around enough for people to be interested. You smiled as you went to grab the rolling pin however paused as you heard the faint jingle of bells, alerting you to someone's presences. Putting on a big smile, you dusted the flour off of your hands onto the lavender apron you donned making your way to the front. You found an older lady waiting in a lovely floral dress, thick glasses perched on her nose. She immediately gave you a loving grandmother vibe that you adored instantly. </p><p>"Good morning, Ma'am. What can I get 'cha?" You placed your hands on your hips and turned to the lady. </p><p>"Morning, Darlin'. I just wanted to come check out this old place. Haven't seen it so busy since ol' Danny passed, rest his soul." You smiled gently, feeling an odd tug at your heart. No one had mentioned your father at all since this place had opened. You were relieved but also sad in away. You would have hoped people remembered him a bit more. </p><p>"Well thank you, Ma'am. I'm trying my best to continue in his likeness. I'm (Y/N), Danny's daughter. I recently moved out into his old place." You extended a hand, feeling your cheeks heat up as her eyes widened briefly, giving you a once over from head to toe before taking your hand in a soft but firm handshake. </p><p>"Well, I'll be darned. Who knew someone like him could raise such a good-looking young lady? I'm Luda May. I'm on the property next to yours with the Hewitt family. Got Charlie, Monty and my boy, Thomas out there." A smile flashed on your face. You had seen the old white house briefly before and wondered if anyone was even there anymore. The idea of having neighbours was a delightful one. </p><p>"Pleasure to meet you, Luda May. It's nice to know I'm not the only one all the way out there. How about I get you some coffee and cakes, I'd love to hear a little about the town and yourself." You decided to be a bit more forward than usual. This woman just made you feel comfortable, and you were interested in who exactly was staying near you. A wide smile adorned the older woman face.</p><p>"Well, I'd love that darlin'. White with two sugars, please. And I'll like to try that lemon tart you've got in there. Haven't had a good one in a long time since this place shut down." Joy filled you as you nodded and set to work, making double for yourself as you went to sit down with her. </p><p>"I hope it's just as good as you remember." The two of you seemed to get along great, the conversation flowed smoothly as you explained why you came back out and your ideas for the business in the future. How you had gone to culinary school in order to start your own little bakery and how excited you were to share it with people here. The two of you exchanged recipes, and Luda let you in on what local flavours and harvests were available at different times of the year. She also told you about her family, the town's history since you left and odd bits and pieces that came to mind. In between the conversation, you would have to get up to serve some people, but she seemed to enjoy the talk and food which made you happy. No one had been incredibly rude or anything here, but this was the first time someone had shown you that good old country friendliness you remembered so fondly from your childhood. </p><p>"Yeah, is a shame the old slaughterhouse shut down, would have been great to have some meat pies around this place." That piqued your interest. </p><p>"Oh? I hadn't realised it shut down. I was thinking about trying to get some meat just for that. Well darn, I'll have to think of something else now. Will be too expensive to import for now." A small frown tugged at the edge of your lips. Luda May clicked her tongue but smiled. </p><p>"No worries dear, I'm sure you will figure something out. If you're ever in desperate need for something you just us know. Us Hewitts aren't the richest folk around, but we're the most generous if you can look past all that ridiculous talk." You kept a smile on your face as you took in Luda's small rant, slightly worried about what she could mean. Where they not well-liked amongst the community? Luda May looked like a typical town grandmother though. It was very strange to you. But you didn't wish to comment as you could already tell it was a sore spot. Instead, you nodded and thanked her profusely for her offer, offering a hug as she stood tidying up the plates and cups.</p><p>"Oh, don't worry about that I'll handle it. It was lovely to meet you, Ms Hewitt, you can come around anytime for a good chat. Feel free to bring the family too." She smiled wide at that and nodded at you while you gathered up the dishes quickly. </p><p>"Will do dear, you take care now. I'll be back." You move to the back with a warm feeling, dropping the dishes next to the sink. Turning you look back at the pie you were initially making before you had gotten interrupted—thoughts of Luda May's rant filling your mind. From what you gathered, they weren't the most well off and were considered outcasts even in this small town. You frown. You wondered why. But shaking your head, you turn back to work. You decided you would make up for the town's ridicule and begin making small goodies for the family. You're sure she would be appreciative. She also said she had a son, you wondered how old he was. Maybe a teenager? Perhaps he would like sweets as well.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Meeting the Boy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It has become quite a common occurrence to see Luda Mae sitting at the tablet closest to the window and door in your little bakery. Sometimes with Kathy and Henrietta, and other times just sitting and chatting with you as you baked. And frankly, you enjoyed the company, she never demanded that you speak at all times, and seemed quite content when you fell into your quiet episodes, choosing silence after a long day or a calm humming tune. You had once voiced your concern for the price of her tea break, offering to forfeit the charge if it was too much. Frankly, the place had been doing much better than you thought it would, and the loss of a couple dollars every other day wasn’t going to hurt it. You’d rather her company and didn’t want her to stop showing up because it was financially incompatible. But she had tossed your concerns away with a flip of her hand.</p><p>“With the extra food you give to us dear, a few bucks a week is nothing. If Charlie wants to chuck a spat over it, he can go back to buying groceries every week.” You’d giggled and nodded, happy that your contributions were going to good use. You had been trying out different recipes and trying to gauge what locals liked best, and some things were much more favoured over others. You had discovered the town enjoyed classic pastries but also didn’t mind some otherworldly influences like Croissants and Cannoli. But sometimes that had left you with ingredients you just wouldn’t use on your own. Then you had begun making small baskets of food that were about to expire for Luda Mae, sometimes even for Kathy or Henrietta, if you had enough leftovers. That way, you didn’t feel terrible for throwing away food, and some other deserving people received some help. <br/>As you had begun to offer more food, Luda Mae had started making small baskets for you. Little jars of jam made from the fruits you would give them and new family recipes to try. They were always fantastic and it had become quite a joy to exchange them. However, during your months of growing closer, despite how much Luda had spoken about her little family, you hadn’t met any of the men in her life. And frankly the more she talked about them, the more curious you grew. She spoke of how hardworking her dear old Tommy was, about how he would round up the cattle every other day and was always in the basement, butchering. You’d learnt he used to work in the meat factory but was laid off when it shut down. Initially, you had assumed he was a teenager. Still, now you figured he may be a bit older, but then again it wasn’t uncommon for people to start work young here. Make he was only an apprentice when he worked at the meatworks. </p><p>But for all your wondering, you never received a real answer. Not that you had asked of course. As motherly and welcoming as Luda was, you had realised the family was a big deal to her, and she could be quite secretive about them. You had chalked it down to wanting to keep them safe in her own way, given how the town seemed to react to them. You hadn’t missed the odd looks and sneers that Luda would receive from the other folk that frequented your bakery. Quiet mumbles to their companions and quick leaving were common when Luda was around. You had noticed she would come an hour before you closed, fewer people would come around that time. And you didn’t blame her at all. However, you had refrained from saying anything because you still needed the business and Luda understood. That didn’t stop you from giving those people the day-old bread and the nearing sour milk. You had no time for their ridiculously childish behaviour. It was part of the reason you had left the city. People always felt the need to judge when they were never really better off themselves. </p><p>You hummed along to your thoughts, eye’s darting every now and again towards the entrance, hoping to see the kind woman walk through the doors. It had been a week without any real sight of her, and you were becoming worried. You had a basket of food awaiting her arrival or the past couple of days, and you were afraid it would go off before you ever managed to give it to her. With a frown you pulled the last tray of muffins from the oven, ready for cooling overnight. Your eyes flickered to the note sitting on your wall, Luda Mae’s cursive phone number written, calling out to you. Maybe you should just give her a quick call to make sure everything was okay and to tell her you had some things to give her. She wouldn’t mind. And with that thought, you washed your hands clean of filth and reached for the phone, anxiously awaiting as you listened to the dial-up tone. </p><p>“Hewitt’s, what you want?” demanded a gruff-voiced from the opposite end of the phone. You panicked. Was it the wrong number? No. It couldn’t be, he said Hewitt. </p><p>“Er…um. Y-yes.” You stammered, trying to find the words to speak. However, your mind seemed torturously blank at the moment, forgetting why it is you even decided to call in the first place. </p><p>“Out with it, would ya? I haven’t got the time to stand over the damn phone.” You almost hung up immediately, opting to never call anyone ever again. You always preferred face to face conversation anyways. However, you faintly heard the sound of a familiar woman’s voice over the end of the phone, and your eyes darted to the little basket of goodies you’d organised. </p><p>“Luda Mae! I would like to speak to Luda Mae, it’s (Y/N) from the bakery.” You smiled wide, far too proud at being able to answer a simple question over the phone. You listened as the man mumbled and yelled out to Luda. With some shuffling and complaining from the man, you finally heard Luda answer.</p><p>“Oh! Luda! It’s (Y/N)! How have you been? I was getting worried something had happened.” You bit your lip, wondering if maybe that sounded bad. You were just concerned thought, wasn’t that a good thing? <br/>“Oh, dearie! Hello. I’m quite alright. Sorry about Charlie, the old grump. I’ve been fine darling, just very busy with livestock, I’m sorry I haven’t been out to visit this week. I should be back by next.” A wider smile curled on your lips, shoulders finally relaxing. However, you were not sure when they had hunched in concern originally. </p><p>“That’s alright, I just wanted to make sure. I also have some things for you I was gonna give to you on your next visit, but I’m not sure they will last much longer in this heat, sorry.” You frown slightly but heard a chuckle over the phone.</p><p>“Oh, ever the generous girl you are. I’m not sure who sent you to us, dear, but you’re surely an angel. I’ll send Thomas down to grab it before the day’s out, okay? Now as I’ve said he is mute, but you’ll know it’s him.” You quirked an eyebrow at her statement. Unsure of what she meant. You had never met the boy; how could you possibly know? But you didn’t have time to question as you suddenly heard faint yelling and cursing from the man on the phone earlier, and a quick goodbye from Luda before they hung up on you. </p><p>Pulling your eyebrows together, you looked oddly at your phone before putting it down. What an odd family. You shrugged and decided to get back to work, your mind absentmindedly pondering what the Hewitt boy would be like. </p><p>-X-X-</p><p>You had almost forgotten your arrangement as you were handing out coffee and cakes left and right. Around 5pm every day, it would suddenly get busy for an hour. Everyone leaving their jobs or heading to families houses for dinner, eager to grab a small treat to share on the way. You smiled and thanked each person, unable to see the end of the line before you head another jiggle form the bells on the door. </p><p>“Welcome, I won’t be one moment.” You called out, just as you did with everyone. But suddenly there didn’t seem to be as much background noise. Chattering and laughter stopped abruptly as you continued to serve. Confusion ran through you, wondering if you just imagined it all. But you turned to the next customer, and the faint sounds of chatter began to pick up again. Only this time it was whispered with hushed giggles filling the room. You shook your head, slightly confused still but looked towards the door before freezing momentarily. And there he stood. A tall, broad man, he seemed enormous compared to the people around him. Who seemed to all step back as far as they could? You didn’t really blame them, as you continued to look, you realised he had a leather mask strapped to his face, rough stitching revealed his lips that seemed oddly full for a man, but obviously chapped and peeling in some places. The skin around them that wasn’t hidden behind the mask was red and blotchy. You wondered if it was the sun. He was incredibly tanned, dirt-covered his clothes and skin, obvious he was a man who worked hard in a field somewhere. You bit your lip. Eyes travelling higher as you took in the furrow of his brows, blue eyes glaring down at the ground in an oddly shy manner, his greasy hair still wavy and hiding his face as much as he could. He was huge and could easily be the most intimidating man in the room, however, his demeanour was that of a scared, shy teenager, merely wanting to be ignored rather than the centre of attention.</p><p>You imagined with a frame like that though, he was hard to miss. And suddenly everything clicked. The silence, the hushed whispers, the giggles. And the demeanour. A frown curled on your lips once more as you started to tune into the conversations more, clearly, no one actually cared about being heard. Especially the man you had initially been serving. </p><p>“What a freak. Hard to imagine he even had the balls to walk into a place like this. Lowers the value a bit.” His friend behind him snorting. You frowned harder. </p><p>“Yeah, not like that family could afford anything from here. His mothers always around, but I’m sure she probably just rummages the bins for everyone’s scraps.” The two men laughed boisterously at that. And it hit a nerve in you. You hadn’t met the poor man before. You had the opinion that he was used to the chatter. Still, hearing Luda mentioned in such a foul way had you clutching the paper cup harder than expected, eyes glaring up at the men before you. In your haze you noticed the other man seemed to stiffen as well, hearing the two idiots talk. But before anyone could retaliate, you grabbed the two orders. You flipped off their lids, whistling low to get everyone’s attention, including the two men before you threw the contents of hot coffee into their faces. Listening as they yelped and tried to wipe off the burning liquid quickly. Gasps were heard from everyone in the shop.  </p><p>“What the fuck, Lady?” They turned to you, still trying to cool down their bright red faces. You sneered at them before they had a chance to say anymore.</p><p>“Let me make it very clear to each and every one of you in this building. It is mine. I own it. And you will all abide by my rules when you walk into this shop, so help me. And that means if you ever feel the need to pick on another human being, you will be banned and reported, do you hear me? Hot coffee will be the least of your worries when I am through with you. You will treat everyone with respect, especially the Hewitt’s in this store.” You growled out, sounding far more confident than you felt. You were angry, but you had never threatened people before. But your message seemed to get across as the murmuring stopped and people ordered their coffee and food in silence before leaving in a hurry. Eventually, everyone ran out of the door, and you sighed heavily, leaning back against the counter. </p><p>Before you could make your way back to your cooking, you heard a huff from behind you. You turned around quickly, bright red as you took in the sight of the man before you. Somehow amongst all of the people leaving you hadn’t realised he stayed. It wouldn’t have been that you were pointedly ignoring him, the embarrassment of your outburst being too much to handle. Never. </p><p>“O- Oh… Thomas?” You had assumed this was the “boy” Luda had been referring to all the time. Although boy was the furthest thing from your mind as you craned your neck up to look at him before you. He nodded, shaggy hair following the moment. You liked it. Heat began to pool on your cheeks once more. You released a shaky breath. </p><p>“U-Um. Sorry about t-that. I just… didn’t like what they were saying, y’ know? Sorry if I overstepped, I didn’t mean-“ You were cut short as you felt a very large, very hot, hand rest on top of your head. You were stunned as you looked up at him. He didn’t seem to be smiling, but something in you said he was happy you had done it. You smiled up at him. For a bit too long, you looked into his eyes, wanting to know precisely what he was wondering behind those pretty blue irises. You shook your head suddenly, feeling his hand retract suddenly. You felt bad, you hadn’t meant to make him react. You liked the feeling. But you bit your lip instead of trying to gather your thoughts. </p><p>“U-Um, I have some things for you and your mother. I hope you like them. I was worried they would go off before I got to give them to you guys. But I’ve also added some fresh bread and some chocolate chip cookies… Luda said she had a son and I thought….” It dawned on you that you were talking to that son right now, and he certainly wasn’t the teenager you had been assuming. You wanted to smack yourself in the forehead. What grown man wanted cookies. You winced as you handed him the basket. He tilted his head, and you tried not to press your thighs together too obviously. He lifted the basket full of ingredients with seemingly no difficulty, pulling back the checker drape before snatching one of the cookies you’d mentioned. He broke off a small piece and slipped it through the slit of the mask, he made a little approving noise and nodded. Which was more than enough to make you break out into a broad grin, clasping your hands together in front of you in delight.</p><p>“Oh! I’ve so glad you like them! I’ll make you some more next time.” He stared at you for a moment, you stood stark still, once again wondering what he was thinking as he looked down on you. Before he nodded once more and made to leave for the door. </p><p>“Goodbye, Thomas! I’d love to see you again!” You waved him away with a bright smile, watching him freeze before continuing on his path home. You had meant it too. Your mind wandered back to your dreams of wanting a man who could hold you with one arm and work with the other, and by god, every bit of you believed that muscle of man could be very well that. You placed your hands on your cheeks, trying to cool them down as you flushed bright red. Suddenly talking to Luda about her son wasn’t going to be so easy anymore.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello! So I posted this on Tumblr originally but figured I should post it somewhere else too. Enjoy!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Luda Mae's schemeing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Luda Mae was a simple woman. She wanted simple things. Food on her table. A nice cup of tea with (y/n) every now and again. And for her baby boy to be happy. And she had quickly come to the desertion that two of those simple needs were far more entwined than she had first anticipated.  The day she had sent Thomas to the bakery had been a blessing in ways she hadn't fathomed before. Tommy had come home with the basket of goodies and a difference in his demeanour. He was never an angry man, but he did have an air of annoyance around him every time he was sent out to the shops. She didn't blame him of course and made sure to only send him when she had no other choice. She knew how people treated her boy. She would get weird looks, but with her own quick wit, people were quick to shut their mouths around her, she made sure of it. But Thomas was different. Thomas genuinely didn't want to hurt people physically, it would only cause more issues. And the second issue is that he couldn't verbally do it, like Luda Mae. So, he had to deal with very verbal threats and ridicule against himself. Despite being a very large man, people had learnt that he wouldn't retaliate, and their awful behaviours grew bolder and bolder.</p><p>That being said, whenever he did return from town, he would generally be in quite a foul mood. One he would rid himself of in the basement alone, working. Because Holt never did appreciate a moody Thomas. However, today was different. She had been expecting him to be short, give her the basket with a huff and make a beeline for his work. But he didn't. Instead, he walked into the house at a leisurely pace. Holding a cookie in his hand while he gazed ahead, lost in his own thoughts. It wasn't an odd thing for Thomas to do, with nothing to say one would imagine you would spend quite some time in your own head. But Luda couldn't fathom what had brought on such a difference to his usual arrive-from-town demeanour. Maybe someone had said something that really affected him? But he wasn't angry or even frustrated. He was his usual calm self, perhaps even gentler than usual as he rested the basket on the counter, nodding in her direction absentmindedly.</p><p>"Thank you Darlin', did you meet (y/n)? Lovely girl, ain't she?" Luda watched on curiously as Thomas nodded, more enthusiastic than she was anticipating. Usually, she would receive a shrug as he never really cared too much for other people outside the family, they would usually make a comment about him or something, and Thomas had just learnt to ignore everyone. So this was more than a little surprising, but she couldn't help the grin that stretched from ear to ear.<br/>"Yeah, she's a real sweet thing, that one. No family left though; the poor girl is probably lonely over in that big house by herself." Luda's keen eyes taking in every furrow and huff that Thomas made, his interest clearly displayed as he stayed and listened to her, his head tilting at her words. She felt like dancing inside.</p><p>"Maybe you could go over and keep her company. She keeps saying that big house feels lonely all the time. She also mentioned needing a few things fixed around the place. I'll tell her you can help." Luda shooed him away with her hands, appearing lost in thought as she began to unpack the basket. Thomas left immediately, but she could see he was still partly in a daze. Oh, her little boy was growing up!She hadn't seen Thomas react to anyone in a blatantly positive way since he was a child. Oh, how she would milk this. Maybe she would finally be able to cross off another dying wish of hers. Grandchildren!</p><p>-X-X-</p><p>You had been so busy with the bakery lately you barely felt like you had time for yourself or your thoughts. But ever time you did seem to get lost in your own mind, it would always travel back to Luda's son. God, you had been stupid to think that he was a teenager or something. You tried to convince yourself it was because you were unprepared for the very masculine man that walked into your shop. That was the reason you couldn't get him out of your head. Yes. You were just shocked. Sighing, you continued to make the new pie recipe with chicken meat. All the alternative meats you tried were okay, but they just weren't exactly what you were hoping for.</p><p>You just wanted a well-cut, well-fed red piece of meat for your pies. You didn't need very much with all the extra gravies and sauces, but it annoyed you that you couldn't find any, anywhere in town. The only place that stocked some red meat was the little store at the end of the road, and it was ridiculously overpriced for the pathetic amount you received, and it was god awful. Full of fat and grainy in texture. You wondered where he even managed to get something so terrible. You sighed and wondered if it would be worth perusing Luda Mae. Thomas was a butcher, wasn't he? Indeed, he would be working with red meat? And as if hearing her name filter through your head, you listened to a jingle of the shop bells. You looked up to see one of your favourite visitors standing in the doorway with a fresh basket of goodies.</p><p>"Darling! It's been far too long. I'm sorry I wasn't able to come out sooner, busy with the farm and all. Charlie can be a real slave driver when he's not busy boozing." You giggled as the lady rolled her eyes and took a seat in her usual spot. You absentmindedly began making her regular order and grabbing today's cake special.</p><p>"That’s okay! I understand I’ve been quite busy myself. I’ve been trying to find a nice meat pie with alternative meats, but it just isn’t what I want it to be sadly. A bakery without meat pies. I’m a fraud.” You sighed dramatically as you began to walk towards Luda with your drinks and plates. Setting them down, you took a seat with her, admiring her new basket. Oddly enough, you noticed a few drops of blood on the handtowel that covered the ingredients. You shrugged it off. It happens sometimes. Especially on farms, you would know.</p><p>“Ah, don’t beat yourself up. Everyone has the same issue here. I’m sure you will find something. Besides, you have a wonderful collection of desserts the town dies for. I’ve seen all those empty cabinets when I walk in.” Luda winked at you, and you flush mumbling to yourself.</p><p>“I’m just glad people like them at all.” You laugh half joking and half serious as you move for the food in front of you. Luda stops sipping her drink for a moment and nods, pushing the gift towards you more.<br/>“Oh, yes, yes. Go ahead, dear. It’s not much, but I made a few things I knew you would like and also left a few recipes in the bottom for you.” You smiled wide; you really did love her recipes. They were so homely it reminded you of your mother on rougher nights when everything felt too much and too big for you. It was comforting. Although you assumed everything about Luda was motherly and comforting. Grabbing the basket, you pulled up the towel and smiled as you first saw the bouquet of flowers, you quickly grabbed them and got up to put them in a vase, to place front and centre in your bakery.</p><p>“I assume the gardening had been going well then, Luda? These are beautiful! And smell absolutely lovely. I don’t know how you do it in this heat. All mine would wither up and die.” You finished arranging the flowers to your liking as you heard the older woman chuckled.</p><p>Time and patients, my dear. And lots of water. Thomas goes and fetches me water form the lake almost every mornin’ for my flowers.” You flushed as you were once again reminded about the man that barely left your mind lately. And oh god, you had forgotten about all the little deeds he did for his mothers to make her happy. You were doomed. However, you kept walking back to your seat, unaware if Luda had noticed your sudden silence.</p><p>“That reminds me, Thomas came back in a mighty fine mood yesterday, which is different than he usually does when returning from town. Given his looks and all. Would you happen to know anything?” You froze for a moment, thinking back to yesterday—your surprise and anger at how people treated him and his mother so openly. God, you were still confused. Thomas looked like he could break your neck with one hand and yet people were so casually rude to him. You would be terrified to do that to someone so intimidating.</p><p>“A-Ah, yes. He -um- had a bit of a run-in with the locals…” You looked down, saddened that you were unaware of what would happen when he arrived. You wish you had stepped in sooner. “Some people in the bakery were saying some mighty rude things to him, but I shut them up with a warning. Ain’t no one gonna be rude to you guys in here, or they can find their asses on the curb.” You frowned and narrowed your eyes slightly.</p><p>“If anyone ever tries to tell me you aren’t a little angel, I’ll slap them upside the head, I tell ya.” You looked back to Luda, who was wearing her own little smile. You were confused. Wasn’t it wrong that people said things to Thomas? Luda laughed at your confusion.</p><p>“Thomas is quite used to the comments, but he’s not a violent man. He’ll just let it slide and come back in a huff of annoyance. But he was in a good mood yesterday. Not many people stand up for him. In fact, Charlie and I are probably the only ones who do. So, thank you (y/n). You’ve been nothing but an angel to our little family since you arrived.” You once again blushed a bright red. You began to wonder if you had any blood anywhere else in your body by this time. You mumbled out a thank you and continued to look through the basket. Not used to praise and certainly not accustomed to responding to it. Your finger grazed against something cold. Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion as you wrapped your fingers around cold plastic. Usually, Luda would make you dry things so they wouldn’t go out of date quickly.</p><p>Looking down as you pulled out the packet, your eyebrows sudden disappeared into your hairline as you looked at the slightly bloody package of red meat. The packet was only so big, but it was more than enough meat to make at least a dozen small meat pies. You looked up at Luda questioningly. Wondering if maybe she had accidentally placed it in the wrong basket at home.</p><p>“Oh. Would you look at that? Thomas must have had some leftovers.” The way she said it was almost nonchalant, but you could see the surprise in her eyes too before it dissolved into happiness with a bright smile to match.<br/>“Maybe, it’s a small thank you as well.” You hummed and turned back to the meat, deciding you would make a small batch of meat pies and give the Hewitts some to try as a thank you as well.</p><p>“Thank you so much, Ma’am. And be sure to tell Thomas thank you as well. Oh, you have no idea how happy this makes me. I’ll give you some pies to take home next time you come around! I’d love for you to try them and tell me what you think!” You excitedly stood up and made your way to the back, placing the meat straight into the cooler so it wouldn’t spoil. You moved back to Luda and gave her a big hug from behind, muttering your thanks a few more times.</p><p>“Oh, it’s nothing, dear. Like I said, you’ve been nothing but an angel to us. You deserve it. That being said, I did mention for Thomas to go visit your house at some point, you mentioned you wanted some help fixing the furniture and pipes, well Thomas is a bit of a handyman as well. And he seemed happy to come to help ya out.” You bit your lip and flushed a bright red before nodding. Oh god. Would you be able to handle the sight of him fixing things in your house? Using your tools? Maybe even shirtless since that’s how most men seem to fix things when it was this hot out. You tried to stop your cheeks for burning too brightly at the thoughts before shaking your head. No, bad (y/n). You only just met him, behave.</p><p>“T-That would be fantastic. He’s more than welcome to come at any time passed six.” Your breath out, hoping you don’t sound as stiff as you felt. You watched as Luda stood up and nodded.</p><p>“Alright, then I’ll send him over at six sharp tomorrow.” You could have sworn you seen a mischievous smirk curl on the older ladies’ lips. But you shook your head and gave her a hug before she left. Surely you just imagined it. She was just trying to be helpful is all. Yes. Helpful.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So I've forgotten to update this story on this site. Oops. I have two new chapters all ready for you guys. If you'd like more regular updates and announcements, I would consider checking out my Tumblr - SlasherFilth cause I update there a lot more. Enjoy though!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. A Little Alone Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You would be lying to yourself if you said you hadn’t rushed through your afternoon cleaning schedule to get home sooner. You had sped through the dishes, and half wiped down the countertops. Making sure to turn off of the ovens and coffee maker before darting out of your shop. The other things could wait till tomorrow. You would just wake up earlier to deal with it. You were slightly fidgety as you stood in front of the mirror in your room. You donned a somewhat nicer looking dress, light blue that come down to your knees. Slender at the top but flared out at the hips, over your legs. It had pretty lace to cover your shoulders, and you almost felt too dressed up. But as you bit your lip and pondered the other choices you decided that the others weren’t good enough either. And you really didn’t have the time to change… again. Was it ridiculous that you were trying to look nice for a guy you had only met once before? Absolutely. Could you help yourself? Absolutely not.</p><p>Deciding this was as good as you would get, you made your way to the kitchen. The place you always felt more relaxed. Your eyes zeroed in on the small plate of pies you had grabbed from work. You decided you would use the opportunity to give the pies back to the Hewitts to try. And maybe Thomas would tell you what he thought… well not tell you but…</p><p>Actually, how was he going to say anything to you? You bit your lip again. You would be the first to tell you didn’t know ASL well, but you weren’t sure he did either. Maybe writing would be the way to go? You began to look for a small notepad and pen. Once it was found, you placed it on the table. And then frowned because it was far too obvious. What if he could speak and simply choose not to the other day? Luda had mentioned something about it, but you weren’t positive. You bit your lip once more and moved it to sit beside the fruit bowl next to your car keys and other miscellaneous items you threw down anywhere. There. It wouldn’t be super obvious, but it was there if needed… You were a lost cause. But you didn’t have time to ponder how ridiculous you were before you heard your doorbell. In all, it’s terribly unrhythmic and scratchy glory. You cringed. Yes, the house may be beautiful, but it absolutely needed some more work before it was as practical as it was beautiful.</p><p>You made your way to the door and opened it slowly, nerves running through you in a way you hadn’t really experienced since being an anxious teenager. You took a deep breath. Enough, you were being silly. You’re an adult. And so is he. Coming into your house. To help you. That’s all. You cleared your throat and finally looked up at the visitor. Against your better judgement, he wasn’t even looking at you. Instead, he looked at your doorbell with slightly furrowed brows. You could help the giggle that immediately left you, your tense shoulders relaxing as you enjoyed the feeling.</p><p>“It’s terrible, isn’t it?” You laugh and look to him again. Your voice must have caught him off guard as he looked back to you, his face once again surprised as he nodded hesitantly. Wondering if he should be agreeing or just pretend it was all fine. You giggled once more.</p><p>“Well, I wasn’t lying to Luda Mae when I said the house was a bit in disrepair. The doorbell is the least of my worries at the moment… you should see my sink.” You sigh slightly as you opened the door wider and motioned for him to enter. He followed. You felt some of the last nerves crawl back up your spine, but you tried to keep them at bay, making your way to the kitchen once more. You felt him follow behind, careful not to brush up against anything. You frown slightly, realising you’re not the only one who is nervous about this arrangement. You decided to try and break the ice. Once you came to your kitchen, you turned around to face him with a confidence you didn’t really feel. You stuck out your hand.</p><p>“I’m (y/n), I’m sorry I didn’t really get to introduce myself properly the other day. I want to say I’m really thankful for you coming over and helping me. A lot of the stuff I just can’t do on my own. These muscles can knead the dough, but bolts and furniture are a whole different ballpark.” You smiled and tried to make a joke. He lifted a brow, but you could see the barest of smirks from beneath the mask. You had heard all of the rumours. People thought it was made of human flesh. How ridiculous. It looked like nothing but cowhide. You more felt sorry that he felt the need to wear it. It couldn’t be easy to deal with, especially in this heat. You watched as his mouth opened but shut almost immediately. While in the midst of your own mind, he had reached out and gently took your extended hand. Clearly cautious of how much strength he used as he gently shook it, seeming almost concerned he wasn’t doing it right. Surely people shook his hand… right? But you only wondered for a moment before you felt the sheer heat of his hand course through your arm, sending small shivers of delight through you. Gosh, you really were a sucker of muscle and heat.</p><p>“Oh, I meant to ask, would you like a pen and paper to write with? It might be a bit more difficult if you can’t ask me questions about things.” You gushed pathetically. Your eyes darting towards the notepad you had placed beforehand. So much for being casual. You watched as he nodded slowly. You beamed a smile at him, maybe moving a bit too quickly for the paper and pen. You brought it back to him and began to sit at your table, motioning for him to follow. However, as soon as he rested his arms on the table to write, you felt it shift ever so slightly, to which he paused and looked beneath. You winced as you saw the small piece of cardboard crumble beneath the weight. Sending your table into its lopsided glory once more.</p><p>“Like I said, the doorbell is the least of my worries.” You huffed sadly, but you saw shoulder shift slightly. In a way, you almost thought of as laughter if you could hear it. You turned back to him, but he was already writing.</p><p>'I’m Thomas, and by the looks of it I won’t be able to fix everything tonight'</p><p>You flushed bright red but chuckled a bit at his words.</p><p>“Yeah, it's feeling like a bit of a lost cause. The main issues are this table and the dining, the sink in the kitchen and bathroom and the doorbell. And a part of the roof in my room that seems to be caving in somehow.” You smile sheepishly as he gives you a look. And you realised although he may not be able to talk, he was very expressive none-the-less. It made you feel better. Maybe this communicating thing wouldn’t be so difficult.</p><p>'I can start with the sinks tonight if you would like? And have a look at the others, so I know what to bring next time.'</p><p>You flush at the realisation that this would mean more visits and you’re not sure your poor cheeks can handle it. You nod, however, and stand once more making your way to the sink. You turn on the water and without a plug in sight, the water began to pool in the basin quickly. You turned off the faucet.</p><p>“I’ve tried everything short of pulling it all apart. And that’s only because I physically couldn’t unscrew the bolts.” You sighed as he took a quick look. You moved toward the loungeroom, quickly grabbing your tool kit you had kept inside to help fix everything up. You held a wrench and walked back. You walking in on Thomas already removing bottles of cleaning products and turning so he could see beneath. And oh god, if his size hadn’t hit you before, seeing him barely fit into your cabinet to look at the pipes absolutely cemented the idea in your head. You cleared your throat as to not startle him and handed him the tool. Receiving a small huff in return which you decided to take as a thank you. You felt something tingle in you as you watch him unscrew the bolts with little to no effort at all. God, you really were a lost cause.  </p><p>Maybe seeing nothing but pretty boys in your city really had made you weak to any man doing physical labour but hot damn where you completely happy to just watch him work. Until you realised you were probably being creepy and decided to heat up one of the pies for him while he worked. Deciding on making some sweet tea for the both of you as well. Anything to keep your mind preoccupied.</p><p>You absentmindedly began to hum as you began to work. A habit you had picked up a long time ago. It helped to soothe you as well as focus. Great for baking. You nodded your head in confirmation before making your way to the fridge and grabbing some items. You worked quickly, sweet tea being something you made often, reminded you of home while you were away. While working diligently, you could hear all sorts of sounds of metal on metal as he worked, every once in awhile hearing something drop to the ground before you heard water gushing out and a slight disgruntled noise come from the mysterious man. You stopped yourself from giggling. You began to stir the ingredients together and didn’t realise how much time had passed, your head in the clouds as you listened to the sound of not being alone and cooking. It made you smile. If mama could see me now…She’d wonder why I wasn’t his bride yet. You scoffed to yourself and turned, only to realise he was no longer behind you. Instead, everything had been packed away like nothing had happened, and you looked down the sink to see no remaining water. Gingerly you turned on the tap slightly to water if the water would catch.</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>You smiled and turned the faucet on harder and watched in happiness as it run down the drain and into the abyss. Thank goodness. You were getting very sick of using the outside hose. Standing you decided to heat up the pie and begin pondering different ways to spice them up for your customers. You decided to take a notepad and sit down on the sofa. Thomas would find you if he needed anything you were sure. You hadn’t realised how much time had passed as you wrote ingredient after ingredient and recipe after recipe down in your notebook. Outside was now pitch black, and you heard loud footsteps echo from somewhere behind you. Smiling, you stood up and turned around coming face to face with the man you told yourself you hadn’t been daydreaming over for the last couple hours he had been here.</p><p>“Oh Thomas, did you manage to fix it? I saw the kitchen, thank you so much! You have no idea how relieved I am to have a working sink again. I don’t really know how to thank you properly, but I made some sweet tea, and I’d like you to try one of the pies I made out of the meat you gifted me. Oh! Speaking of. Thank you very much for that too! You have no idea how much I’ve been wanting to find some good cuts, and yours were fantastic! Luda mentioned you were a butcher but still, they were outstanding!” You knew you were rambling. He knew you were rambling. Everyone knew. And yet you couldn’t shut up. Your eyes darted to the kitchen as you realised you needed to set up the food still. Perfect. Distraction. But as you made your way over, you couldn’t help but notice Thomas actively looking away from you. You weren’t sure if you had said something wrong. Oh, you hope you hadn’t. You and your big mouth.</p><p>However, much to your relief, he continued to follow you to the kitchen, and as you grabbed the jug, you went to motion for him to sit at the kitchen table. The world apparently had other plans. And you wished you weren’t such a clutz. You whirled around and come face to chest with the much taller man. Unfortunately, the glass jug you had been holding didn’t quite bounce off as much as you did. Instead, it shattered around you both, sending sweet tea pouring over you and him equally. You froze. And stared. Not entirely sure what to do at this moment. Was it real? Were you dreaming? Despite feeling like you were in some kind of hallucination, your mouth apparently hadn’t taken the hint.</p><p>“I… am so sorry.” And with that, your mind seemed to catch up with you. You looked up at his face to find him staring rather intently at you. You figured he was probably mad and trying to keep it in. Oh god, you had to fix this. You rushed over to the bench and quickly grabbed some paper towel before patting him down repeatedly. Muttering multiple apologise as you tried to remove as much liquid as possible. You bit your lip and dared not look at his face again. Everything seemed so quiet and still. The dull light illuminating both of you in the otherwise dark house as you stood in your kitchen, trying to pat this man dry in a useless attempt. You slowly looked up at him. His eyes were still fixated on you. And you thought maybe you weren’t the only one who short-circuited when this occurred. But you were the only one to reboot afterwards.</p><p>“Y-You can have a shower if you’d like. It’ll get really sticky… I can wash your shirt for you and give it back next time you come over… if you still want to…” You felt like you were in some kind of clique sitcom. God, you were so clumsy sometimes. You went to step back from him, however as you did, you realise that you hadn’t cleaned up the glass jug at all. Hissing loudly, you lifted your foot and before you could think you were hoisted into the air and placed on the kitchen table with seemingly no effort. You gasped at the feeling of warm hands encircling your waist before they were just as quickly taken away.</p><p>Before you could react, you watched as the giant man knelt in front of you, your cheeks reddening drastically he did. Was it suddenly really warm in here? You thought so. He gently took your foot and inspected it, his fingers grazing slightly against the blood that dripped from it. You whimpered gently.</p><p>“It’s fine, just a little cut. It’ll stop bleeding in no time.” However, as you spoke, you began to notice the spots of blood on his hands. You were sure they weren’t from you. They seemed too dry. Your eyes trailed up as you seen small specs of blood cover his arms too, and lightly coat his shirt. It was well hidden beneath the dirt from his day at work, but it was still noticeable. You wondered how you hadn’t noticed earlier. But he was a butcher. You figured he probably did get it everywhere. And maybe Luda had rushed him out of the house before he had time to really clean everything off. You wouldn’t judge him either way.</p><p>Watching beneath you, you see dark locks shake, as Thomas stood and grabbed more paper towel. He pressed it to your cut with a little pressure and sat there for a moment. Kneeling before you, holding your foot in his hand and you couldn’t help but think of him in a different situation, kneeling before you. You flushed bright red once more and turned away from him—your turn to be shy. Quick, think of something else! Your eyes darted around and landed on the pies once more. Pies!</p><p>“O-Oh. Did you want to try the pie still?” You grinned awkwardly from your place above him. He looked up at you, raising an eyebrow. But you thought you would see amusement in his eyes and a small smirk on his lips. It made you relax slightly when he nodded his head, pull away from you, but not before checking if you foot at stopped bleeding. You quickly set up his food with a glass of water instead before sweeping up your mess. Being extra careful not to step on anymore. Although being swept off my feet again isn’t a terrible idea… You shook your head. Not the time! You quickly put all of it away and made your way back to the kitchen. Hesitantly, you pressed your hands together and walked up shyly to him. Eager to know what he thought as he slowly broke apart the pie and slipped it through his mask. You wanted to tell him it was okay to take it off. That you wouldn’t be offended but you figured if he was comfortable doing that, he would have done it anyway.</p><p>“How is it?” You asked shyly, threading a lock of hair behind your ear. You watch him look up at you and ideally look around. You stare confused for a moment before you remember he couldn’t just tell you. You wanted to slap yourself. You quickly grabbed the paper you had written recipes on earlier and gave it to him. His eyebrow lifting at the sight of the recipes. You bit your lip.</p><p>“I… actually wanted to ask you how you liked it because I want to sell them at my bakery… And meat is tough to come by… especially as good as the stuff you gave me! …I was wondering if you would mind selling me some from time to time. I wouldn’t have to be all the time! And I don’t need very much. And of course, I would be willing to pay you for it!” You bit your lip once more and winced. You’d been doing that far too much this afternoon. You waited patiently as he began to hesitantly write.</p><p>'I’d love to give you more… but I have to ask Charlie and Luda. Thank you for the food, it’s good.'</p><p>You almost squealed and clapped. It wasn’t much, but you figured any compliment from Thomas was something to be excited over. And as for the meat, you were sure you could talk Luda around. Maybe this just meant you and Thomas wouldn’t see the last of each other just yet. You were more than a little okay with that. Even though you didn’t squeal, in your excitement, you had launched forward and enveloped the large male in a hug. Pressing your form against his side as he remained seated. However, you quickly realised what you were doing and stood up immediately. Thomas did too. His head once again turning away from you and you knew you really shouldn’t be so forward with him. You were never usually like this anyways. You didn’t know what would come over you, every time he was around. You blushed bright red and quickly made your way to the front door. Offering him an easy out without appearing rude. You assumed he needed time to himself just as much as you did. If not more, and he was needed at home.</p><p>“Thank you so much, Thomas. For everything. You’re really a lovely man, and you feel free to come over whenever you may like.” You tried to smile in a friendly way, but he seemed to scurry off into the night like a man on a mission. And you were left hoping it wasn’t the last time you saw him, hoping his odd mood wasn’t because he didn’t like being around you.</p><p>You sighed and closed the door, slumping up against it as your head fell to your chest. Eyes closed as you breathed in deeply, trying to calm down. Once you opened your eyes once more, you almost felt your face burn off as you realised why the poor boy wouldn’t look at you. In your haste to dry him off, you had forgotten that the sweet tea had also poured on you. And suddenly your earlier haste to get changed into something nice and appealing backfired completely because your dress clung to your chest like a second skin and you cursed the fact you had decided to go au natural. Fearing the risk of bra straps showing on your cute off the shoulder dress. I really am a lost cause.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>